Corpus Christi Catholic High School

Inspection of Corpus Christi Catholic High School St Vincent’s Road, Fulwood, Preston, Lancashire PR2 8QY

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The quality of education Outstanding Behaviour and attitudes Outstanding Personal development Outstanding Leadership and management Outstanding Previous inspection grade Good 8 and 9 July 2025

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils feel lucky, and they are exceptionally proud, to be part of such a kind and welcoming school community. This community is accepting of everyone, irrespective of the differences that exist between people. ‘Together in one body’, the school’s motto, is embodied by pupils each day as they show the greatest respect for their peers and their teachers.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils value the care and compassion that staff afford them. Pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), know that staff have exceedingly high expectations of what they can achieve academically. Pupils rise admirably to meet these expectations.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils’ behaviour around school is exemplary. Without reservation, they greet their friends and any visitors to the school with a heartfelt smile. They politely open doors and stand aside for others. Older pupils relish the opportunity of taking on esteemed positions of responsibility, such as becoming a prefect or a ‘reading leader’.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils appreciate the vast number of extra-curricular activities available, where they can hone their talents, pursue their interests and develop new skills. For instance, they enjoy art club, history club, debating club and an abundance of sports activities. The school plays a fundamental role in preparing pupils to take their place as responsible and considerate citizens in a diverse society.

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What does the school do well and what does it need to do better?

The school successfully fosters a highly ambitious culture, where the best interests of pupils, including those who are disadvantaged, lie at the heart of every decision. Staff are highly motivated and capitalise on an impressive programme of training and guidance. As a result, their understanding of how best to support pupils, including those with SEND, to learn and achieve well is truly remarkable.

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What does the school do well and what does it need to do better?

Meticulously designed curriculums afford pupils frequent opportunities to regularly consolidate important knowledge and concepts. Teachers design learning activities with proficiency, breaking content down into manageable steps. They deliver new concepts with flair and aplomb, skilfully anticipating pupils’ misconceptions as they arise. Added to this, teachers expertly and swiftly rectify any errors in pupils’ learning. Over time, pupils acquire a rich body of subject knowledge. They achieve exceptionally well in a range of subjects.

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What does the school do well and what does it need to do better?

Pupils value their high-quality education, as demonstrated by their impressive rates of attendance and impeccable behaviour. This is especially true for pupils with SEND and disadvantaged pupils. During lessons, pupils frequently engage in intellectual debate. The supportive relationships that staff have fostered mean that pupils are confident to share their ideas. 8 and 9 July 2025

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The school successfully removes any barriers to learning, by ensuring that pupils who find reading difficult are helped to read with fluency. Skilled staff provide these pupils with highly effective support. This enables pupils to read with accuracy and understanding, while helping to foster an appreciation of literature.

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Pupils make excellent use of an extraordinary programme of activities designed to support their personal development. Through an exceptionally well-delivered citizenship, personal, social, health and economic education curriculum, pupils learn, for example, how to look after their emotional health and well-being and how to avoid becoming victims of identity theft. Well considered and carefully designed ‘extended learning days’ help pupils to learn about a range of different cultures and religions. For example, older pupils speak with assurance about the similarities and differences between Judaism and Catholicism.

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Pupils with SEND benefit from the plethora of extra-curricular activities that the school provides. The school has well established and highly effective systems to ensure that the additional needs of pupils with SEND are identified swiftly. When necessary, staff expertly adapt their delivery of the curriculum to meet the needs of these pupils. Pupils with SEND flourish.

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Through the school’s strong links with employers and colleges, pupils learn about courses best suited to their hopes and aspirations. Both younger and older pupils, including those with SEND, are exceptionally well informed about the options available to them when they leave the school. For example, pupils in Year 8 speak knowledgeably about the alternatives to academic qualifications, such as apprenticeships and T-levels.

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Governors bring an abundance of relevant expertise to their roles. They use their knowledge, alongside their understanding of the school’s context, to provide a fitting balance of support and challenge. Staff are dedicated to the school. They are highly appreciative of the steps that leaders take to consult with them prior to making decisions about policy and practice.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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How can I feed back my views?

find out what other parents and carers think. We use information from Ofsted Parent View when deciding which schools to inspect, when to inspect them and as part of their inspection.

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How can I feed back my views?

The Department for Education has further guidance on how to complain about a school. 8 and 9 July 2025

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Further information

You can search for published performance information about the school.

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Further information

In the report, ‘disadvantaged pupils’ is used to mean pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND); pupils who meet the definition of children in need of help and protection ; pupils receiving statutory local authority support from a social worker; and pupils who otherwise meet the criteria used for deciding the school’s pupil premium funding (this includes pupils claiming free school meals at any point in the last six years, looked after children (children in local authority care) and/or children who left care through adoption or another formal route). 8 and 9 July 2025

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Chair of governing body Janet Butterworth

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School details

Dates of previous inspection 28 and 29 February 2024, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 This Roman Catholic school is in the Diocese of Lancaster. The most recent section 48 inspection, for schools of a religious character, took place in February 2022. The next section 48 inspection is due to take place in 2027.  The school meets the requirements of the provider access legislation, which requires schools to provide pupils in Years 8 to 13 with information and engagement about approved technical education qualifications and apprenticeships.  The school does not make use of any alternative providers.

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Information about this inspection

The inspectors carried out this graded inspection under section 5 of the Education Act 2005. During a graded inspection, we grade the school for each of our key judgements (quality of education; behaviour and attitudes; personal development; and leadership and management) and for any relevant provision judgement (early years and/or sixth form provision). Schools receiving a graded inspection from September 2024 will not be given an overall effectiveness grade. 8 and 9 July 2025

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 Inspections are a point-in-time evaluation about the quality of a school’s education provision.  Inspectors discussed any continued impact of the pandemic with the school and have taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.  Inspectors spoke with members of the governing body, including the chair of governors. They also spoke with a representative from the local authority and a representative from the diocese.  Inspectors held meetings with the headteacher and other school leaders. Inspectors also met with a range of other staff.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: English, geography, physical education, mathematics and modern foreign languages. For each deep dive, inspectors held discussions about the curriculum, visited a sample of lessons, spoke to teachers, spoke to some pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work. Inspectors also discussed the curriculum in some other subjects.

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 To evaluate the effectiveness of safeguarding, the inspectors: reviewed the single central record; took account of the views of leaders, staff and pupils; and considered the extent to which the school has created an open and positive culture around safeguarding that puts pupils’ interests first.  Inspectors took account of Ofsted Parent View, including the free-text responses. They also considered the responses to Ofsted’s online staff survey. There were no responses to Ofsted’s online pupil survey.

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Inspection team

Emma Gregory, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector

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Inspection team

Derek Yarwood Ofsted Inspector 8 and 9 July 2025

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achieve excellence in the care of children and young people, and in education and skills for learners of all ages. It regulates and inspects childcare and children’s social care, and inspects the Children and Family Court Advisory and Support Service (Cafcass), schools, colleges, initial teacher training, further education and skills, adult and community learning, and education and training in prisons and other secure establishments. It assesses council children’s services, and inspects services for children looked after, safeguarding and child protection.

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